Well, as soon as there were 2 confronting sides in this conflict and each had own flag, I suppose it would be reasonable to use a combined flag as an indicator of this period to reflect everything we need:

I don't know if I should start a new thread, but I figure I should point out an error on the Confederate Generic Uniform; Second Lieutenants and First Lieutenants wore the same Austrian knot on their sleeves. Only their collar insignias were different.

Well, as soon as there were 2 confronting sides in this conflict and each had own flag, I suppose it would be reasonable to use a combined flag as an indicator of this period to reflect everything we need:

What do you mean - nope, colleague? I know the difference between Yankees and Dixies flags)

This combined flag is just a symbol which allows us to use the same theme "United States of America 1861-1865 (Civil War)" for both USA and CSA uniforms and insignias. Otherwise, we should make 2 separate themes as we did for Russian Civil War - we had to make a separate theme "White Movement". Just a symbol, nothing more.

Dorward_Bis wrote:What do you mean - nope, colleague? I know the difference between Yankees and Dixies flags)

This combined flag is just a symbol which allows us to use the same theme "United States of America 1861-1865 (Civil War)" for both USA and CSA uniforms and insignias. Otherwise, we should make 2 separate themes as we did for Russian Civil War - we had to make a separate theme "White Movement". Just a symbol, nothing more.

The flag in use by this site for this topic is the flag that I posted a link to above. It is not a combined flag.

Dorward_Bis wrote:What do you mean - nope, colleague? I know the difference between Yankees and Dixies flags)

This combined flag is just a symbol which allows us to use the same theme "United States of America 1861-1865 (Civil War)" for both USA and CSA uniforms and insignias. Otherwise, we should make 2 separate themes as we did for Russian Civil War - we had to make a separate theme "White Movement". Just a symbol, nothing more.

The flag in use by this site for this topic is the flag that I posted a link to above. It is not a combined flag.

Dorward_Bis wrote:What do you mean - nope, colleague? I know the difference between Yankees and Dixies flags)

This combined flag is just a symbol which allows us to use the same theme "United States of America 1861-1865 (Civil War)" for both USA and CSA uniforms and insignias. Otherwise, we should make 2 separate themes as we did for Russian Civil War - we had to make a separate theme "White Movement". Just a symbol, nothing more.

The flag in use by this site for this topic is the flag that I posted a link to above. It is not a combined flag.

As for the uniforms, the horn on the caps was made of brass not silver. Technically the horns were not to be worn on the enlisted forage caps, only on the dress hats, however the dress hats were rarely worn and the horns were commonly seen on the caps. The forage caps with the embroidered horn insignia were worn by all ranks of officer. The dress hats without the ostrich feathers were commonly worn by officers as well, however the hat cords were a mixture of gold and black. Gold cords were only worn by generals.

The fatigue sack coats had a rolling collar, the standing collar with the v opening was on the dress frock coat.

The army had just begun to change from light blue to dark blue trousers (or trowsers as they were then known) for all ranks when the war broke out. The 1861 uniform regulations call for dark blue for all, but in reality light blue was worn by everyone but generals, staff officers and probably enlisted men in the ordnance department. Stripes were dark blue for infantry and were 1/2 inch wide for Corporals and 1 1/12 inches wide fro Sergeants and above. Officers wore a 1/8 inch dark blue welt and generals wore plain dark blue trousers without a stripe.

Sashes were buff silk for generals, crimson silk for other officers (except medical and pay officers) and red worsted for First Sergeants and above.

The new regiments mentioned by gghbisa were the new regular regiments. During the ACW the Regular Army (US Army) only reached 19 regiments of infantry, 6 of cavalry and 5 of artillery. They were named like: 1st US Infantry, 5th US Arillery.

The majority of the 2.8 million men that served in the Union army belonged to the Volunteer army (US Volunteers), raised by the several states either voluntarily or through a draft. They had names of this type: 1st Michigan Infantry, 5th Illinois Cavalry.

A volunteer infantry regiment had the following table of organization:

Old regiments had ten companies and new regiments two or three battalions with eight companies each.

The company was the smallest official formation. That doesn't mean that platoons, sections and squads were not used, but the laws organizing the army and the army's tables of organization only go down to the company level.

From what I have been able to find, when a company was split into platoons the Captains commanded one and the First Lieutenant the other.

In reality platoons and sections were of no tactical importance. Regiments, brigades and divisions operated in closed formations. The only tactical subdivisions, for instance a skirmish line or the reserve, were made up of 1-2 companies.

Furthermore, due to attrition, the number of men in a regiment steadily diminished over the enlistment period. Although volunteer regiments to some extent were resupplied with men over time, it was more common to organize new regiments, when new contingents enlisted or voluntered. The average Union regiment strenght in 1865 was 500 men. The average Confederate regiment strenght the same year was 150.

Luke, I suppose this sign should be observed as an "extended hand"^, and this corresponds to the pictures of collar insignias for general officers (the shield between two stars).From another hand, this "corn cob" resembles a palm with extended fingers (though I'm affraid to notice this the one should possess a vivid imagination))